Upright Bike Buyer’s Guide

With busier lifestyles that do not leave a lot of scope for exercise, obesity and diabetes have become real threats to our health. As a result, most doctors and fitness instructors are advising individuals to indulge in regular exercise to lower any risk of dangerous medical conditions while boosting your general level of fitness and health. This is why you should make sure to partake in some form of physical activity on a daily basis. According to the experts, particular emphasis should be placed on aerobic exercises such as running, walking, cycling, rowing, swimming and the likes. To make it far easier for you to indulge in daily activities, it is advisable to invest in your own home exercise machine. This will ensure that you can train at your own pace, without the weather or expensive gym membership fees getting in the way.

Upright exercise bikes are always an excellent choice because it can be used by just about anyone, regardless of your level of fitness. It is also more shock-resistant, which means that it can be used by elderly or lightly disabled people. Unlike treadmills- which tend to deliver the strain of your workout straight to your knees- upright bikes lightly take the weight of your body off the joints. Consequently, you can work out for as long as you want, with very little strain on your joints. There are quite a few important points to consider before investing in your own bike. For instance, a potential customer should absolutely analyze his or her budget, personal need, space and other such factors to ensure that you do buy a machine with which you’re completely satisfied. To learn more about the best upright bikes on the market you can also read our detailed reviews.

Analyze Your Budget

When it comes to upright bikes- or any fitness machine for that matter- you basically get what you pay for. It is true to say that the market does come with bikes available under different price ranges. However, do bear in mind that you need to splurge on a more expensive model if you’re planning on using it on a daily basis. This is because expensive machines tend to be more resistant than their more affordable counterparts. The rule of the thumb is to set your budget according to the use that you will get out of the machine, along with the comfort as well as the different features and options that you wish to benefit from.

To help you make the best choice, here are our top 5 upright bikes by price.

Is Comfort Important for You?

Once again, machine’s level of comfort is directly linked to its price. If you’re on a limited budget, it is still good to know that even cheaper bikes do come with light foam padding. Still, these may not be entirely comfortable after several minutes of constant pedaling. This is why it’s always advisable to go for a more expensive and larger bike if you can afford to. The level of comfort on these machines has especially been established for longer workouts, which will save you from quite a bit of strain afterwards. More expensive models normally come with larger and well-padded seats to protect you from saddle soreness. Similarly, they also include padded handlebars and come with well-adjusted pedals with straps that can fit around your ankle, regardless of what shoe size you wear.

Expensive models are also suited to heavier users since they tend to come with wider and contoured seats to enhance your comfort, regardless of your size. They also have a higher maximum user weight capacity, hence allowing you to train in all safety and comfort.

Consider Your Available Space

Space is the one issue that many people tend to overlook when shopping for their machine. However, if you have limited space, it is crucial to measure your bike’s footprint and compare it to the room in which you plan on using it. If you’re an avid athlete who plans on using the bike on a daily basis, it is highly recommended to go for a bigger machine. These are designed for daily use and can easily resist wear and tear. This is also applicable to large groups or families, where different people plan on using the bike regularly.

If you have limited floor space, it is good to know that the fitness market does provide quite a lot of bikes that are on the more compact size. In fact, there are very good foldable models, such as the Exerpeutic 1200 and the Marcy Foldable, to make it easier for you to stow them away when not in use. They often include transport wheels that will help you move them around the house as required. Still, it is good to keep in mind that such models are not as resistant and durable as bulkier and solid ones.

Think About the Features You Need

Since the range of features provided by your bike directly influences its price, users should absolutely take a moment to consider the list of features and options that they prefer to have on their apparatuses. If you plan on using the machine on a sporadic basis, you might not really need more luxurious features like USB ports, fans or speakers. However, if you’re a regular athlete, such options might come in handy to you since they will render your workout more entertaining and consequently encourage you to put in more minutes to your workout.

Experienced users might want to go for machines that have additional options built into them like LCD screens. These will help you keep an eye on your progress and benefit from data such as the number of calories burned, distance covered, time elapsed and the likes. With a more expensive machine, you can sometimes benefit from digital options such as an interactive platform that allows you to connect with other athletes using the same machine from around the world. Some bikes even come with built-in programs that will mimic roads from different countries. Other machines may include programs that were developed by professional trainers.

If you want to experience an entire-body workout, you can also go for an upright bike with dual features: these come with moveable handlebars as well as pedals, which will consequently train your legs and arms at the same time.